15 Activities for Kids this Labour Day Long Weekend 2016

Figuring out where to go and what to do together with the family on Labour Day should not be hard work... especially since it's a long weekend! For parents with primary and secondary school going kids, this long weekend is probably reserved for some serious studying.

But hey, everyone needs a break, no?

So if you are planning to relax just a teeny bit this long weekend, I have made it easy with this list of recommendations!

Singapore HeritageFest 2016

Now until 15 May 2016

Various timings and locations

Into its 13th year, the National Heritage Board’s signature Singapore HeritageFest promises yet another edition of heritage fun! Spanning three weekends from 29 April to 15 May, Singapore HeritageFest 2016 will present the hidden and lesser-known stories about our shared spaces and ways of life. Through immersive programmes such as trails, open houses and performances, the festival will enable Singapore’s diverse communities to share their stories with the public and bring these valuable memories to life in celebration of our vibrant cultural heritage.

For a full listing of all events and activities, visit heritagefest.sg. Selected activities that will be held over the Labour Day long weekend include the following:

Journey to the West: Web of Deceit by Paper Monkey Theatre29 & 30 Apr 2016 | 6.20pm & 7.25pm | National Museum of Singapore | FREE
Master Tang San Zang and Sun Wu Kong the Monkey King are brought to life using Asian metal rod puppetry, in this exhilarating adventure from the classic Journey to the West. Presented in Mandarin.

A Taste of Heritage29 & 30 Apr 2016 | 6pm - 10pm | National Museum of Singapore, Front Lawn | FREE (Food prices apply)
Relive the 1960s street food culture at the museum over the festival opening weekend! Indulge in popular local dishes such as Indian rojak, wanton noodles and satay as you enjoy live performances on the museum’s front lawn. You can even learn about the family stories behind the various stalls and how their traditional recipes have been passed down through the generations.

Spend a night at the museum with radio DJs as they share thrilling ghost stories and play old-school games with you. Plus, get up close and personal with the DJs in a CD exchange session and listen to some of their favourite songs.Urban Ventures @ Keong Saik Road30 Apr 2016 | 4pm onwards | Keong Saik Road | FREE
Urban Ventures returns for a second arts carnival featuring interactive installations, art performances and creative workshops. Come evening, groove to music and dance performances over drinks.Bukit Pasoh Outdoor Performance30 Apr - 1 May 2016 | 6pm | Bukit Pasoh Street | FREE
Enjoy a series of evening outdoor performances along Bukit Pasoh Street that includes a wushu demonstration, lion dance, Nanyin music, Chinese dance and more. Be entertained by local bands and take a selfie with roving characters dressed in period costumes dating back to the early days of Singapore. For performance schedules, visit HERE.

Star Wars Day 2016

30 Apr & 1 May 2016; 11am - 80

OCBC Square (Outside Kallang Wave Mall)

FREE

In celebration of Star Wars Day on May 4, the two-day celebration is taking place at the Singapore Sports Hub (OCBC Square) this weekend. The event showcases everything from the original Star Wars trilogy to The Force Awakens. Activities include Meet-and-greet with the 501st Legion and Rebel Legion, Model kit painting workshop. The Force Awakens panel by Lucasfilm & Blast-A-Trooper for charity. Full schedule below:

ActiveSG Athletics Fiesta

30 Apr & 1 May 2016; 9am - 6pm

National Stadium

FREE

The National Stadium is throwing the gates open for everyone to enjoy a weekend of sporting activities! Activities include Athletics Challenges for Kids, Nila Dance Fitness Parade, 2KM Walk Test and Athletics Fun Tryouts. For a full schedule of the activities, visit HERE.

Make your own Mini Drive-in Cinema! (Family Workshop)

30 Apr 2016; 2pm & 3.30pm

National Museum of Singapore, Activity Space, Level 3

FREE (Registration required)

Make your own mini drive-in cinema featuring your family’s favourite movies and cartoons! Illustrate a scene together with your child and bring it to life on your movie screen. Take the opportunity to share memories of your favourite childhood or teenage hangouts and activities with your little ones too! The workshop is conducted by the Amazing Art Shuttle and is limited to the first 20 pairs of parent and child (aged 4 to 12). Registration required. Please register on-site in advance.

Tanjong Pagar Railway Station Open House

1 May 2016; 9am - 6pm

Free Admission

Other than exploring the railway station, visitors can also look forward to an exhibition titled WOMEN: New Portraits by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. The photo portraits feature women of outstanding achievement including artists, musicians, CEOs, politicians, writers and philanthropists. The exhibition will be open to the public from 29 April to 22 May 2016 at the Main Hall, as part of a 10-city global tour.

Istana (Entrance to the Istana grounds is via the main gate at Orchard Road)

FREE for Singaporeans and Singapore permanent residents.

Other visitors are required to pay an entrance fee of $2 per person.

There will be a variety of performances on the grounds during the Open House. For an entrance fee of $2, visitors could tour selected function rooms in the Istana building and view a special display of gifts presented to the President and the Prime Minister. There are also guided tours of the Istana building, conducted by the Preservation of Sites and Monuments (PSM) volunteers. Istana souvenirs are also sold at the Open House. All proceeds from the sale of the souvenirs and the entrance fees collected are donated to charity.

BBQ Under the Stars @ Port of Lost Wonder

1 May 2016; 6.30pm - 9.30pm

Port Of Lost Wonder, Sentosa

Adult $39 | Child $15

Experience the beauty of the Port at night, take a splash at the Pirate Ship, enjoy the cool sea breeze and the calming, rhythmic waves as you dine! Treat your taste buds to a delectable spread of starters, mouth-watering barbecued meats and sweet treats at our dessert bar. Cuddle as a family along our picnic grounds and catch a show (The Spongebob Movie: Sponge out of the Water) under the stars too! Children below the age of 5 enjoy complimentary entry. For tickets, visit HERE.

Sentosa Ukulele Festival 2016

1 May 2016; 4.30pm - 10pm

Palawan Green, Sentosa

FREE

Swing by the ukulele music concert, and enjoy an Ukulele concert set against the backdrop of a golden sunset! Expect amazing performances by international and local artistes like Daniel Ho (USA), Sungha Jung (Korea), Jukuleles (Singapore) and more. Bring your ukulele and join the fun by jamming along too!

Tulipmania 2016

Now until 22 May 2016; 9am - 9pm daily

Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay

Admission Fees apply

Tulipmania returns in full bloom at the Gardens! Witness a stunning spectacle of tulips set amidst an elegant Persian-style backdrop, and learn about how the flower originated in the ancient Ottoman Empire (present-day Turkey) and its significance on Turkish arts and culture. Our review HERE.

Join Snoopy, Charlie Brown and friends from the Peanuts Comic Strip in sending your love through letters, postcards and greeting cards. Letter writing and postal themes are commonly featured in the comic strips. They are also popular themes on postage stamps. View rare stamp artworks, stamps and first day covers issued by Portugal, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, USA, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong. Learn about the creator Charles Schulz and his creation of these famous characters – Charlie Brown and his sister Sally Brown, Snoopy his famous beagle, and his friends Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, Woodstock, Pigpen, Franklin, Peppermint Patty and Marcie.

Meet Hanuman - the superhero monkey, who destroys monsters, defeats evil kings and restores order to the world. Follow his journey, part cartoon, part film, part musical and part physical theatre, into a land of myth, mystery and many adventures. SRT's The Little Company presents this original multimedia and highly visual theatre, created in collaboration with the UK's Imitating the Dog, who bring their unique theatre style to this epic tale adapted from the Ramayana.

Watch worlds and landscapes change in the blink of an eye and witness the extraordinary feats of Hanuman and his cheeky band of monkey friends as they battle to create a better world. Suitable for children and adults, this multi-sensory theatre experience is a superhero journey unlike anything seen before in Singapore. For tickets, visit HERE.

The Rainbow Fish

Now until 15 May 2016

Mon - Fri: 10am | Sat & Sun: 10.30am & 2.30pm

Drama Centre Theatre

$32

Based on Marcus Pfister's award winning storybook, I Theatre is again proud to present this marvellous hit musical for the whole family in Singapore! Rainbow Fish learns some very valuable lessons about her attitude to others, some hard lessons about pride and selfishness, and some valuable truths about the power of generosity and humility. Meanwhille, her friends discover how teamwork helps everyone; and how gossip and rumour can cause damage to friendships! For tickets, visit HERE.

LEGO Star Wars Day 2016

30 Apr - 31 May 2016

LEGOLAND Malaysia

Admission Fess apply

Throughout the whole month of May, the park will host LEGO Star Wars Days activities transporting families into hyperspace and to a galaxy far far away.... LEGO Star Wars Days activities during the month of May include:

Building activity: The Largest LEGO Millennium Falcon in the world30 April – 2 May 2016
Join the the world’s only father-son LEGO Master Builder team – Daniel Steininger and Christopher Steininger to build the iconic spaceship using more than 200,000 bricks to put together.

Build and Take home a Mini Millennium FalconEvery weekend in May 2016
Bring home a piece of the action by building your own mini limited edition LEGO Millennium Falcon as a take-home reminder of the day's amazing LEGO Star Wars memories!

LEGO Star Wars Parade: Imperial March by the 501st and Rebel Legion 7 - 8 May 2016
Witness a real-life Imperial March led by an army of Stormtroopers and LEGO Darth Vader alongside a variety of characters from the franchise, with more than 90 Star Wars costumers from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Australia & Hong Kong.

Kids enter LEGOLAND Malaysia FREE for the whole month of May 2016 when they go dressed in full Star Wars costumes!

Hideways - Creating With Nature is all about immersive experiences - experiences that will invite kids to explore, observe, construct, reflect, innovate and engage with nature and natural materials through hands-on exhibits and interactive artists’ installations. Specifically designed for kids aged 1 to 12, the exhibition helps them explore these questions through various installations - providing an interdisciplinary and engaging experience serving as an important reminder of the world’s ecosystem. Read more in my review HERE.

Butterflies Up-Close

30 Apr 2016 onwards

Hall D, Science Centre

$10 (excluding Science Centre admission)

Butterflies Up-Close invites you to experience the fascinating transformation of a butterfly from an egg to a beautiful winged adult. With only around 1 in 20 eggs making it to adulthood, the butterfly is met with numerous dangers and threats during each stage of its life cycle. You will get to gain a deeper insight on how the butterfly behaves, interacts with the surroundings, and survives each stage of its life cycle to reach adulthood. With more than 500 butterflies from around the region including Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia, the 600 square metres enclosure is aimed at providing an immersive experience for both children and adults, in order to bring them closer to nature.